Hunter Morrison, a city planner who taught at Youngstown State University and spent his later years guiding economic revitalization efforts in the city, died Tuesday. He was 78.

Ideastream Public Media reported that Morrison died in his sleep at his home in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Morrison served as the director of the Center for Urban and Regional Studies at Youngstown State University and worked as a planning consultant for the city of Youngstown.

At YSU, Morrison taught a course titled “Revitalizing Youngstown,” which trained students to act as citizen planners. In a profile published by the university, he summarized his teaching philosophy: “You can have two relationships with a city—you can consume it or create it.”

Morrison continued working on local development projects through 2024. He played a key role in the Crab Creek Corridor Improvement Plan, an initiative aimed at revitalizing one of the city's oldest industrial districts on the East Side.

Beyond his professional role, Morrison was an active resident of Youngstown for more than a decade. He lived at the Park Vista retirement community, where he served as president of the residents’ association.

In 2022, Morrison represented tenants in a dispute regarding structural issues at the complex’s underground parking garage. He advocated for repairs and the safety of the residents, stating that the lack of access to the garage during winter violated “common decency.”